Hi all.
I have recently been interested in taking better pictures of my coins. Up 'til now I've tried to hold the camera steady at arm's length. I've spent the last few weeks reading lots of photography posts on this and other coin forums. I've experimented by changing only one variable and comparing side-by-side pix. I've definitely improved a lot. Despite all this, I still see pictures of people holding coins on their fingers that are better than mine!
I see lots of beautiful pix that you guys take, and don't hope to achieve that level of expertise. I just want to maximize what I can do with what I have. Ideally I'd have a well lit, well focused coin, about 400-800 pixels wide per side. At least good enough for grading or selling. If I get good enough pix, I am seriously considering imaging the favorite parts of my collection. This will take a lot of time so I want to do it right and not miss any obvious improvements.
Camera: I am using a circa 2003 Olympus d565. At the time it was ~$2-300. It does not have manual white balance, aperture priority, or any of the other things some newer point and shoots have. It saves as jpeg only. Super high quality = 2288 x 1712 pixels.
Computer: I have a Macintosh computer and am using the GraphicConverter (free) program. It does most of the simple things that photoshop does and a lot of complex things I don't understand. Most of the functions you mention are included, but may be named differently.
The first thing I did was build a copy stand to hold the camera steady. It's from scrap wood and $2 of nuts and bolts. It's not 100% level / perpendicular / parallel, but close enough. As someone else said, steadying your camera will make your pix better than 95% of those on
ebay!
The lighting is mostly by two 4' fluorescent lights at the 12:00 position a few feet above. Not ideal I know, but that will be my next issue to address.
I've been focusing on the in-camera vs in-computer things I can modify.
In-Camera
Exposure: Ranges from +2.0 to -2.0 in 0.5 increments. I've found 0.0 or +0.5 to look the best.
Metering: ESP or Spot. I'm told it's best to center, and my tests seem to confirm it.
White Balance: No choice of manual, but have auto, sunlight, cloudy, tungsten, or fluorescent. My tests show auto or fluorescent to be best.
Macro: I know macro is supposed to be better, but I honestly see little difference when it's used. Perhaps I'm just not getting the coin close enough to the lens.
Zoom: I elevate the coin to about 6-8" from the lens and then zoom as much as possible (75-90%) without losing auto-focus.
In-Computer:
White Correction: Click on the spot that should be whitest.
Auto Levels: Don't know what this does exactly, but it works well!
Sharpness: I don't use this but it's available.
Other: Most of the common photoshop functions are available.
After lots of testing, and making lots of picture grids for comparison, I've finally settled on a default camera and program protocol:
Default:
Camera Settings:
Flash off
Macro mode
Exposure +0.5
Spot (center) metering
WB Fluorescent
Zoom as much as autofocus will allow
Timer (10 seconds!)
Computer Functions:
1. White Correction
2. Auto Levels
3. Crop
4. Save as jpeg with 100% quality (biggest file, least compression)
I've posted sample pix in following posts. They have been downsized (either saved at lower quality or decreased resolution) to be reasonably sized. All original test pictures were cropped at 400x400 pixels. That was before I started using the zoom.
I guess I've only got a few questions.
1. The first is about white balance. I have two ways to adjust the whiteness: In-camera the best 'white balance' settings are auto or fluorescent. In-computer I use the 'white correction' and click the part of the image that should be whitest (as 12 o'clock as possible). I don't know if I should be using both or one or the other.
2. I'm unable to 'fill the sensor' with the coin. At most I get ~40%. I don't know if that's my technique or a limitation of my camera. Any tips?
3. I feel like I'm not delving enough using the 'auto-levels' function, but I can't argue with one-click success. Should I be doing more with the graphics program?
Any other ideas to improve? Particularly with the graphics program or in-camera options.
In the immediate future I intend on setting the coins on a dowel with a black background, a la Doug Smith. Then I will be having an out-of-focus black background rather than the present immediate off-white paper. I will then start experimenting with lighting.
Like I said, I'm just trying to maximize what I can do with easy adjustments. Let me know if I'm missing anything obviously helpful.
Sincere thanks to everyone for sharing your knowledge so freely,
-wheatiefan
Posted 09/16/2011 1:50 pm
of photoing coins!...It can be very demanding to figure ones camera out, and with all the comparisons you have listed..You certainly have been systematically evaluating your results, just not getting what you want out of your camera...your camera stand is good,, it doesn't not need to be high end, although its nice to have the cash, it will get the job of steadying the camera so there is no "shake" or out of focus areas..... I notice you use "auto" on many settings....the auto I find allows the camera's internal computer to figure out what it "THINKS I WANT" and when I turn it off,,,and start the next day I have 
